Wrench blank and method of making the same



Dec. 1, 1925. 1.564.167

W. P. WITHEROW I WRENCH BLANK AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Original Filed Jan. 5, 1922 I I "II-MIMI ,AIIIIIV-IIIIIIIII-IIIIIII 4 4 6 4 ENTOR and Methods of Making the Same,

the following is a full, clear, and exact Patented Dec. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,564,167 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM I. WITHEROW, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WITHEROW STEEL COMPANY, OF NEVILLE ISLAND, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A GOR- ZPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

WRENCH'ZBLANK AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

Original application filed January 5, 1922, Serial No. 527,202. Divided and this application filed April 7, 1922. Serial No. 550,522.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. \Vrrrrnnow, a resident of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wrench Blanks of which description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The present invention relates broadly to metal working, and more particularly to a die rolling process by means of which Wrench blanks may be inexpensively produced in large quantities. It has heretofore been customary in the art to form wrench blanks or completed wrenches either by a forging process or bysuitable stamping operations. With either of these methods, and particularly with the forging method,-the production is limited and the cost of the finished article is necessarily increased. I have found that wrench blanks can be easily and inexpensively produced by die rolling, thereby overcoming the objections inherent in methods in use at the present time.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown for purposes of illustration only, one form of wrench blank and wrench formed therefrom. It will be apparent that changes may be made in the blank to produce wrenches of other types without departing from the spirit of my invention or scope of my broader claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a series of connected blanks, as produced by dierolling;

Figure 2 is an edge view of the construction illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view IIIIII of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional IVIV of Figure 1; and I Figure 5 is a side elevation of a wrench blank having the nut-receiving sockets indicated inchain lines.

In carrying out the present invention, I preferably provide a leader which may be of any suitable shape and which has a cross sectional area which is preferably equal to the maximum cross sectional area of a fin on the line view on the line Each of the reducing the metal.

ished wrench blank to be produced therefrom. This leader is then heated and passed between suitable die rolls, whereby the required shape may be imparted to the leader.

In Figures 1 and 2, I have illustrated a portion of a connected series of wrench blanks produced by this rolling operation. blanks preferably comprises a handle-forming portion 2, of generally oval cross section, having an edge flash 3'projecting therefrom. Adjacent each end of the handle-forming portion is an enlarged head 4, adapted to be finished to produce nutreceiving. sockets of standard dimensions. The heads 4 of adjacent blanks may be connected by a gating 5 and flash 6. Such a gating, where provided, has been found to be highly desirable, as it provides a good bite for the die rolls between adjacent blanks, whereby accurate rolling of such blanks is insured.

After blanks of this general nature are produced, they are separated into individual units by cutting through the gating 5 and flash 6. Each of the units may then be subjected to a suitable machining or pressing operation or operations, whereby the flash will be removed therefrom and the ends of the heads 4 provided with a substantially square face 7 Wrench blanks of this character, as illustrated in-Figure 5, may then be sold as articles of manufacture, or they may have a portion of the metal removed therefrom, as indicated by chain lines in this figure, to provide nutreceiving sockets.

By die rolling, it will be apparent that I am enabled to produce in rapid succession a seriesof blanks of the desired dimensions which insures uniformity of product. By providing for the flash, it is possible to minimize the roll spring, and thereby reduce the leader, as required. Where the cross sectional area corresponds to the cross sectional area through the head 4, it is only necessary for the rolls to impart a shaping operation at this point, without This, of course, de creases the amount of work required for forming the blanks and decreases the upkeep cost of the die rolls. The rolling operation also disposes the fibre of the metal in a longitudinal direction, whereby the finished article has increased strength. These features constitute important advan tages of the present invention.

This application constitutes a division of my copending application, Serial No. 527,- 202, filed January 5, 1922.

I claim:

1. In the method of making wrenches, the steps consisting in producing a connected series of Wrench blanks, each having at least one enlarged head from which a nutreceiving socket is adapted to be formed and also having a handle-forming portion, there being flash along a major part of the handle-forming portion separating the blanks, removing the flash and cutting away a portion of the head to form a nut-receiving socket, substantially as described.

2. In the method of making wrenches, the steps consisting in die rolling a leader to produce a connected series of wrench blanks each having at least one enlarged head from which a nut-receiving socket is adapted to be formed, and also having a handle-forming portion, there being flash along the handle-forming portion and at least a portion of the head being Without flash separating the blanks and removing the flash, and cut; ting away a portion of the head to form a nut-receiving socket, substantially as described.

3. In the method of making wrenches, the steps consisting in producing a series of wrench blanks having longitudinally extending fibres, each'having an edge flash and an enlarged head from which-a nut receiving socket is adapted to be formed, at

least a portion of the head having no edge flash trimming the blanks, and then cutting away portions of the heads to form nut-receiving sockets, substantially as described.

4. In the method of making wrenches, the steps consisting in die rolling a leader to produce a series of wrench blanks having an intermediate connecting gating, each of the blanks having at least one enlarged head from which a nut-receiving socket is adapted to be formed, the 'handle portion and the gating being rolled with edge flash separating the blanks, trimming the same, and cutting away a portion of the head to form a nut-receiving socket, substantially as described.

5. In. the method of making wrenches, the

steps consisting in die rolling a leader having a cross sectional area substantially equal to the maximum cross sectional area of the wrench to be produced therefrom to form a connected series of Wrench blanks with edge flash at certain portions thereofbut with substantially no flash at the largest portion thereof, each having an enlarged head from which a nut-receiving socket is adapted to be formed, said head forming the portion of the blank with the largest crosssection separating the blanks, trimming the same, and cutting away a portion of the head to forma nut-receiving socket, substantially as described.

6. As an 'article of manufacture, a series of die-rolled wrench blanks having a connecting gating and each comprising at least one enlarged head from which a nut-receiving socket is adapted to be formed, and a handle-forming portion, said blanks having a flash projecting therefrom, along a major part of the handle portion substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM P. WITHEROW. 

